Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1887-01-24

er so forgetful as not to complete the
affair. e-shall-demand the re-
ceipt-"
He struck his thin, little, blue
veined hand on the table. and |
could only reply:
Il will find it..
| returned home. | searched my
clothing, my office furniture, my port
folios, my books. / had the ashes
in the cellar sifted, and rummaged
my waste paper in vain. In fever
of anxiety, nervous and forgetful of
everything but the lost paper, | pick
Ell the still warm Goals from my CRATE
pan, hoping to find at least its scorch-
Ell remnant beneath them, burnt my
fingers, jumped up hastily, struck
my head violently against the mantel
piece, and knew nothing more for
days-nothing but the receipt, which
danced before my eyes in all its pink
crispiness, with Brother Grace" at
its head, and just over it these words,
''Behold, it is cast into the fire for
fuel"
AS l grew better l began to won
der why these words associated them
selves with the receipt.
My attendant physician was the
father of the girl I loved. l spoke
to him of this.
"You were fancying it was burnt
when you struck yourself" he said.
''That explains it,
81 am sure it does not" said.
Don't be sure of anything until
you are BETTER" he said.
But l was sure. 1t was clue
held out to me, l knew, but l could
not grasp it.
Il was told that Mr.. Grace had
been very considerate, but the end
came, all the same. The mortgage
was forced; the property-my dear
old homestead-was gone. There
had been an attempt to prove me
trickster. My betrothed wife's father,
DR.. Baldwin, had saved me from
that: but how? He gave it as his
opinion that anxiety on the subject
had upset my mind that my vsit TO
the office was a delusion of mine. |
had taken no one into my confidence
as 10 my small economies, my priva-
tions, the odd jobs of copying. etc.,
that had bit by bit added to my little
hoard. DR.. Baldwin gave it as his
opinion that l only fancied that !
had paid the money. Only fancied
that l had paid it! And l had made
matters worse for myself by crying
out:
Never had it Never had it /!
Why, l see it now-every dollar
every bit of silver! l see the receipt
before my eyes, pink, pale pink, sign
ed, R. Grace and above it these
words: Behold it is cast into the
fire for fuel ] -
There are times when men should
be silent, if to be SO they must tear
out their tongues.
No one thought me an imposter.
No one thought me mad enough to
be locked up; but | had been
strange"
Great Heavens a blow against
that marriage would have made any
one strange for awhile. My patients
left me. | earned nothing. l grew
shabby. l had no kinsfolks. l
would not appeal to friends. l al
most starved in the desolate office,
from which | sold everything by
slow degrees.
Finally / left it. ] could have had
several good positions but for the
taint upon my name-mad, mad.
1t followed me everywhere, that ac-
cusation; and / was poor, hollow
checked, shabby, wretched. One
day, as l sat miserably in the garret
which L kept as shelter, by some
copying work, l looked over week
old newspaper. At the head of the
column of marriages | saw these
words ''On the, Robin Grace,
to Rose, only daughter of DR.. Escul-
apius Baldwin
/ had not seen the girl | loved for
many months, but she had then
seemed true to me. / had cherished
hope without knowing 1t. | could
not believe it true. Rose-my Rose
married to my enemy; miserable
old man, too, without a charm about
him. Could she be so mercenary.
| wrote to my old friend. This was
his answer:
my Dear Boy: 1t is true. My
daughter acted on my advice. I'm
der the circumstances you would, /
am sure, be willing 10 give her up.
Trust to time, and take good care of
yourself. If | can help you, come to
me without hesitation.
Your friend, +. b.
| tore the paper in two, and the
next morning took service as a com
mon sailor.
1t was a good step. Ny health
amended itself. My captain WAS
man of warm heart and confidence in
his own opinion. told him my sto-
ry; he was indignant. Through bis
influence ] became the physician of
the ocean steamer over which he
reigned.
/ was myself once more. had
passed through the dark waters, but
vVas trucaIf And tsa fnoL ,yary ,rcv